In case you didn’t see the comment on the Black Friday Deals list from a couple of days ago, you might have missed the best deal of the year for a dedicated ebook reader.
Walmart currently has the Kobo Aura Edition 2 marked down to just $49 with free shipping.
That makes Kobo’s current “sale” price of $89 seem like a joke.
You almost never see an E Ink ebook reader priced in the $50 range, especially one with a frontlight.
Occasionally Amazon will put a low-end Kindle on sale in that price range, one with a low-resolution screen and no frontlight, and then you have to pay $20 extra to remove the annoying ads.
The Kobo Aura 2 is a 6-inch ebook reader with a 1024 x 758 resolution display (that’s 212 ppi). It has 4GB of storage space, WiFi, and an infrared touchscreen. It has a built-in frontlight, but unlike the other Kobo models it does not have the kind of frontlight where you can adjust the color temperature.
For the most part it has all the same software features as the more expensive models, including the option to download library ebooks from OverDrive directly to the device without having to deal with the Adobe Digital Editions nonsense.
See my Kobo Aura 2 review for more information and a video walkthrough.
The Kobo Aura 2 doesn’t have a 300 ppi screen or a color adjusting frontlight, but for $49 brand new it’s a steal. It originally sold for $119, and Walmart has been selling it for $99 since they started carrying it a few months ago. It’s unclear how long the sale will last but it’s likely to remain active through Cyber Monday, at least.
I just picked up my Aura 2 at the store, along with the sleep cover for $78 usd. A nice deal.Thank you for your heads up ! Checking Walmart today they list Aura 2 as out of stock for $98, if you click the link at the bottom of this article. Further searching at the online site does not even show the Aura 2 as an item for sale. Clara HD, H2O, the Forma, as well as the Aura One are listed. Appears to me the $49 dollar deal was a close out for Walmart. My Aura 2 shows a Walmart-Kobo splash screen. Very even front lighting except at the very bottom.
I think the whole Walmart deal is completely worthless. Why would you not have the devices available for immediate impulsive purchases? Why would you offer the Aura instead of the Clara as the main Kobo device to buy? IMHO Kobo is shooting themselves in the foot with this Kobo/Walmart marriage. The Kobo section in my neighborhood Walmart is an absolute joke. Why would they do this deal so half assed? I think Kobo is so much better than Amazon, but this deal with Walmart in the United States is worthless.
Update on my Aura 2 purchase. I found the low resolution of the screen making it difficult for to read, and the lack of a night mode a problem. I returned the reader and cover for a refund. At some point I will consider a clara HD as a replacement. My Nook Glowlight 3 has a stunning text, that is a pleasure to read on.